Chapter 73

• The restaurant, now empty save for them, felt oddly intimate, the silence amplifying the unspoken anxieties that swirled between Cleo and Rowan. The lingering scent of coffee and bacon couldn't mask the bitter taste of Liam's unexpected appearance, a jarring reminder of betrayals and past hurts that had threatened to shatter their fragile peace. Rowan reached across the table, his hand finding hers, a silent acknowledgment of the turmoil they both felt. His touch, usually a source of comfort and reassurance, felt different now, laden with a palpable tension that mirrored her own.
• "He's still…bitter," Cleo murmured, her voice barely a whisper, her gaze fixed on the now-empty space where Liam had stood. The memory of his venomous smile, the cold calculation in his eyes, sent a fresh wave of icy fear through her. The years spent healing, rebuilding their lives, felt momentarily threatened by his reappearance.
• Rowan squeezed her hand, a silent affirmation of understanding. He knew the depth of her fear, the lingering trauma of her past relationship. Liam's presence had been a stark reminder of the darkness they had both escaped, a ghostly echo of the life they’d left behind. "He's still clinging to the past," Rowan replied, his voice low and steady, a calming counterpoint to her rising unease. "He can't accept that we've moved on."